Bermuda Red Cross Pakistan Flooding Appeal
The Bermuda Red Cross has launched a cash appeal for the victims of the flooding in Pakistan, where thousands of people have died and over 20 million people are injured or homeless as a result of the flooding, according to The United Nations.
The United Nations estimates that almost a million people are trapped and are only reachable by air. It is reported that more helicopters are needed to ferry lifesaving aid to the increasingly desperate people, whom many are cut off in the mountainous regions where roads and bridges have been swept away by flooding.
One of the immediate needs the people of Pakistan face is that of clean water. Aid agencies have warned that outbreaks of diseases due to lack of clean drinking water and sanitation can pose a serious new risk to flood victims, while the World Health Organization said that ten million people were forced to drink unsafe water.
Structural damages are estimated in the billions, and the government has estimated the long term cost at $43 billion, or almost one quarter of the South Asian nation’s 2009 GDP.
The statement from the Bermuda Red Cross follows below:
Please be advised that Bermuda Red Cross has launched a cash appeal for the victims of the flooding in Pakistan.
14 million people have been affected by the flooding. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have increased their initial appeal to $73.6 million in donor support to meet the growing humanitarian needs. The IFRC appeal will help the Pakistan Red Crescent Society to reach over 900,000 people. This assistance includes emergency relief, tents and shelter kits, medical care, clean water and improved sanitation, as well as help to restore livelihoods in the coming months.
While the floods have claimed nearly 1,500 lives, and forced millions from their homes, huge areas of land in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh remain underwater. Fears of waterborne diseases are growing and Red Crescent mobile medical teams are playing a vital role in disease surveillance, tracking any spikes in communicable diseases such as malaria and cholera.
The IFRC’s response to the floods includes several Emergency Response Units (ERU) focused on relief, logistics, water and sanitation, and healthcare. Both the IFRC and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are supporting the Red Crescent relief operation. The Red Crescent has some 130,000 volunteers in Pakistan and their disaster response teams have been deployed to each affected district.
Donations can be made by:
- Deposit to Bank of N.T. Butterfield 20-006-060-337885-100
- Call 236-8253 with debit/credit card details
- Mail: Bermuda Red Cross, Pakistan Flooding Appeal, Charleswood, 9 Berry Hill Rd, Paget DV03
The Bermuda Red Cross says the reason they do not accept in-kind donations is:
The best way to help a disaster victim is through a financial donation to the Red Cross. Financial contributions allow the Red Cross to purchase exactly what is needed for the disaster relief operation. The Red Cross initially responds to most international relief efforts with monetary support, and, when needed, ships items such as comfort kits, clean-up kits, medical supplies, tents or tarps. Monetary donations also enable the Red Cross to purchase relief supplies close to the disaster site, which avoids delays, and transportation costs in getting basic necessities to disaster victims. Because the affected community has experienced significant economic loss, the purchase of relief supplies in or close to the disaster site also helps to stimulate the weakened local economy.
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